Condor
RELATED UNI-WIKI REFERENCES
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The Condor is fast and agile. It has limited cargo space so it's not very suitable for trading or mining. It is best used as an assault vessel in a hit-and-run type of operations. SHIP BONUSES
Caldari Frigate bonuses (per skill level):
Ship Attributes
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4 (4/0) 
4 
2
35 MW 
165 tf
430 m/sec
98 m³
Summary
The Condor is the Caldari Attack Frigate. The Condor's speed, agility, and bonus to propulsion jamming modules (warp disruptors, warp scramblers and stasis webifiers) make it a good tackle frigate. The ship’s four mid slots allow it to be fit with more than one propulsion jammer, or a variety of other support modules, making the Condor tricky to predict and counter. The Condor also has bonuses to light missile and rocket damage. In principle, all of this makes the Condor a versatile Attack Frigate, capable of being flown in a number of different ways. In practice, however, the Condor is relatively slow and difficult to fit, especially for low-skill pilots. New, Caldari-focused players that want to fly fast tackle have a tough choice between piloting the Condor in spite of its limitations, or cross-training into a different racial tackler.
The Condor’s versatility makes it a good platform for new pilots learning different approaches to tackling and scouting. Flying the Condor provides practice for eventually piloting fleet interceptors (such as the Crow), which are more commonly used as fleet scouts and first tacklers. Nevertheless, even though the Tech I Condor isn't quite as effective as a Tech II Interceptor, it can still serve as a good tackle ship. E-UNI Condor pilots are strongly advised to read the UniWiki guide to tackling, and to attend a Tackling 101 practical.
The Condor has the lowest base HP of all Attack Frigates, much of which is focused on shield. As a result, the Condor is typically fit with a mid-slot shield extender and shield rigs. The tackle Condor is also typically equipped with a microwarpdrive and a warp disruptor (“point”) in two of its mid slots, like most fast tackle frigates. The fourth mid slot can be fit with a variety of different modules—a warp scrambler (“scram”), a stasis webifier (“web”), a signal amplifier for fast lock time, or even a tracking or guidance disruptor to mitigate enemy damage. Different fits require different tactics, some of which are described in the Tactics section below. In the end, Condor pilots are encouraged to try out different layouts, and experience first-hand how their choices affect the way the ship flies.
The Condor has the least powergrid (PG) of the Attack Frigates, and that means that once the ship’s mid slots have been filled, there is little or no PG left for anything else. The Condor’s bonuses to missiles and rockets are effectively wasted, because launchers require PG that the Condor doesn’t have. Tackle Condors can instead be fit with unbonused projectile weapons, which require little PG, or no weapons at all. Caldari characters looking for a PvE frigate, or a “second” (scram/web) tackler, would be much better off flying the Merlin Combat Frigate instead of the Condor.
Skills
- Missile skills
- Shield skills
- Weapon Disruption skills
Fitting
For more info on fittings, please click here
Tactics
Fleet Condor pilots should read the UniWiki articles on Scouting and Tackling; these provide details on how to serve as the fleet vanguard, and how to approach and point a target once it is on grid. Some tips on flying the tackle Condor:
- Choose your targets wisely. The Condor is especially effective against large ships, because they have trouble tracking the Condor with their larger weapons systems. Condor pilots can make a bid on any ship that is battlecruiser-sized and larger, on most cruisers, and even some destroyers. Anti-tackle faction cruisers, Tech III destroyers, and enemy frigates, on the other hand, will still outrun the rest of your fleet if they are fit for speed, even if you stay with and point them. If you have fitted a scram or web in addition to your point, you can tackle these speedier targets. But, be prepared to take some damage--ships like these are typically fit to hit tackle frigates like yours.
- Keep an appropriate distance. If you are only fit with a warp disruptor, check its optimal range, and subtract 4 km from that number; this is the distance at which you’ll want to orbit your target. (This gives you 4 km of wiggle room.) If you stray too far below this distance, you will be within range of your opponent’s shorter-range scram, web and/or neuts. You can set your ship’s custom default orbit by right-clicking on the Orbit button in the Selected Item window; you should set your default 2 km less than the number you calculated above, because of overshoot at high speeds.
If you are fit with a scram, and you want to use it on your target, set your orbit to 500 meters and shut off your microwarpdrive (MWD) once you get within ~10 km of your target. This will allow your ship to quickly achieve a stable orbit at extremely close range to hopefully get under and stay under enemy guns. If you turn your MWD off too late you will 'yo-yo' on the target and potentially lose your scram. Leaving your MWD on drains capacitor unnecessarily, makes it much easier for other ships to shoot you (due to the signature bloom of an active MWD), and may force you into an elliptical orbit that pushes you outside of scram range.
- Spiral in. Because the Condor is poorly tanked, the Condor pilot needs to avoid getting hit on approach. If the target is a turret ship, one way to avoid damage is to "spiral" towards the target, and to never fly directly at the target, in order to maximize transversal (and thus evade the tracking of the target's guns). The spiraling method does not help against opponents flying missile or drone ships, though, and Condor pilots should just fly straight at these targets.
- Anticipate your opponent. Try and determine your opponent’s direction of flight, and cut them off. Your opponent may try to "slingshot" you by flying towards you, and making you overshoot the target. Be ready to change directions quickly.
- Call your point in comms. Let your fleetmates know when they should warp to you!
Condor pilots can learn more about tackling by attending Tackling 101.
Notes
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